The Balance Keeper is a set of relief prints I created in autumn of 2020. My concept and process for this project were inspired by a saprotrophic fungus called Stereum ostrea, also known as false turkey-tail and golden curtain crust.
Whenever I come across a log covered in Stereum ostrea mushrooms, I am reminded of reptilian scales. What if one of these logs was actually a sleeping dragon? What would it look like if a mushroom-covered log came to life?
Stereum ostrea is a common mushroom which decomposes wood. While thinking about what to title these prints, I kept returning to the idea of balance. Many of us associate dragons with fire, which is both a form of destruction and creation. In a healthy ecosystem, naturally-occurring forest fires and controlled burns are ways to keep certain plant and wildlife populations in balance while making nutrients available and creating room for new life to grow. Stereum ostrea, along with other decomposers, operate in much the same way. They are simultaneously life-taking and life-giving. Like fire. Both of these forces—decomposers and fire—become dangerous when other elements within the environment are disrupted, leading to an imbalanced, unhealthy ecosystem. But the opposite is also true, and much depends on how we as humans choose to participate in the ecosystem.
I did make some sheets of paper out of Stereum ostrea specifically for this project, but the paper ended up being a little too delicate for a clean pull during the printing process. I personally love the uniquely textured result that had on the mushroom paper print though!
I need to give credits to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for providing me with the most ethereal, stunningly beautiful interpretations of dragons that I’ve ever seen, which definitely influenced the way I imagined this creature. Also, credits to my partner Adrian for encouraging me as always, and for helping me come up with the title for these prints!
